Husband gives wife a new engagement ring after 67 years

Her husband of 67 years, Don Johnson, gave her a beautifully packaged present on Dec. 23 at a family gathering in DeKalb, Ill. When she opened it up and saw it was a new diamond engagement ring, the 85-year-old burst into tears before sharing a kiss with her husband, according to Global News.

Earlier in the year, Patricia’s ring went missing from her jewelry box in the nursing home that she and Don live at. She had to take the ring off due to an injury that left her hand too swollen to wear it.

Diane Hawkins via Global News

“Dad asked me to take him shopping to buy Mom a new engagement ring and wedding band,” Hawkins said.

Don has Parkinson’s disease, so walking and talking has become increasingly difficult for him. Don and his daughter concocted a lie that he needed to go to a speech therapist in order to get him out of the nursing home without raising Patricia’s suspicions. They then went in secret to pick out the perfect ring for Patricia.

“The marriage was not without fights. It was your pretty normal marriage but I think it’s their love that just pulled them back together, always. Even if they are mad at each other, it’s not over a long period of time,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins says that her mother proudly wears her ring that that Patricia is “overjoyed.”